Semiautomatic starter control



Oct. 8,1935. P MAURER 2,016,818

SEMIAUTOMATI C STARTER CONTROL Filed April 10, v19355 Patented Oct. 8, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application April 10, 1933, Serial No. 665,313

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a semi-automatic starter control and more particularly to a device for causing the starting, mechanism to operate upon closure of a manual control switch, which 5 will cause'disconnection of the starting mechanism when the engine starts and which maintains the starting mechanism inoperative until the manual switch is opened and reclosed.

It is an object of the present invention to prolO vide a semi-automatic starter control which is reliable and efficient in operation and of simple and economical construction.

It is another object to provide such a device which is independent of any engine function for 15 its control.

It is a further object to provide such a device which utilizes a function of the starting motor to cause disconnection when the engine starts.

It is another object to provide such a device 20 which is a comparatively small simple self-contained unit.

It is a further object to provide such a device in which the wiring installation is very simple and readily applied.

25 Further objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in this art from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side .elevation oi. a preferred form of the starter control device with the parts in idle position, the casing being cut away to show the interior construction; 1

Fig. 2 is a similar end elevationoi the same, the parts being shown in running position;

35 Fig. 3 is a section taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, the parts being shown in cranking position; and

Fig. 4 is a semi-diagrammatic illustration showing themanner in which the device is used in 40 connection'with a conventional form of starting circuit, the parts being in idle position.

As stated generally in the objects of the invention, the purpose of this device is to provide a control unit which enables the operator to ini- 5 tiate the starting function by. closure of the ignition switch of the engine, the cranking being automatically interrupted when the engine starts by a function of the starting motor, namely the reduction in the starting current due to the 5 release of the cranking load, and which further includes an electric lock-out controlled by the ignition switch for preventing reclosure 01' the starting switch until the ignition switch' has been opened by the operator and then reclosed.

55 Referring to Fig. 4 ol the drawing there is 11- lustrated a conventional starting circuit for an internal combustion engine including a battery I grounded at 2 and connected by a lead 3 to an electromagnetic starting switch 4 which in turn is connected by a lead I to the starting motor 5 SM which is grounded at 6 to complete the starting circuit. Means under the control of the operator for causing actuation of the starting switch I is provided in the form of a control circuit including battery I, lead I, manually operable 10 ignition switch 8, lead 9, electromagnet ll of the starting switch, and three ground connections in parallel for completing the control circuit under various circumstances. The first ground connection includes lead l2, fixed contact l3 and a mov- 5 able contact H which is mounted on a spring strip l5 and grounded as indicated at l6 whereby the control circuit 'is completed when contacts l3, H are in engagement which occurs when the starting switch I is open.

\ The second ground connection comprises lead I1, fixed contact l8 and movable contact I I! mounted on a pivoted armature 2| which is grounded as indicated at 22. Contacts l8 and I9 are normally maintained open by suitable yielding means such as a spring 23, while a pole piece is arranged adjacent armature 2| and is adapted to be magnetized by the starting current, in order to close contacts l8, l9 under the effect of the heavy starting current during cranking. This second ground connection thus cooperates to provide means for maintaining continuous cranking until the engine starts, and for then automatically opening the starting switch.

The third ground connection comprises a lead 26 and a resistance element 21 which is grounded at 28 whereby when both sets of contacts I3, I4 and l8, l9 are open, a small amount of current is permitted to traverse the electromagnet ll so long as the ignition switch '8 is closed. .The consequent weak energization of electromagnet II is utilized to maintain contacts I3, [4 open whereby the third ground connection cooperates in the control circuit to provide means for preventing reclosure oi the starting switch until the ignition switch is returned to idle position.

The starting switch 4 comprises a plunger 29 arranged to be actuated-by the electromagnet II and carrying at one end a bridging contact member 3| insulated from the plunger and yieldably maintained against a shoulder 32 thereon by suitable means such as a spring 33. The bridging element 3| is arranged to be brought into engagement with a pair of stationary contact members 34 and 35 when the electromagnet II is v energized by the closure or the control circuit through contacts l3, l4 or I, I9.

For this purpose, the. electromagnet ii is provided with a central pole piece 36 (Fig. 1) and a U-shaped field member 31 presenting pole pieces 33 and 39 coplanar with the pole piece 38, and an armature 4| is suitably fixed to the plunger 2! which is arranged as shown to traverse the pole piece 36 centrally. Means such as a non-magnetic guide member 42 (Fig. 2) are provided for maintaining the armature 4| in alignment with the pole pieces 38 and 39. It will thus be seen that energization of the electromagnet M will cause the armature 4| to move downward against the action of a suitable releasing spring 43 which may be integral with the guide member 42, causing the bridging contact 3| to engage contacts 34 and 35, and thereafter compressing the spring 33 sumciently to permit engagement of the armature 4| with the pole pieces", 33, and 33.

Means are provided for controlling contacts l3, l4 by means of the electromagnet ii in order that such contacts may be opened when the starting switch is closed, and may be maintained bpen as long as the ignition switch is closed irrespective of the opening of the starting switch. As here shown, this means comprises a small auxiliary armature 44 seated in a recess in the main armature 4| and movably connected thereto as by means of guide members 45 and 46 fixed to the auxiliary armature 44 and traversing suitable openings in the main armature 4|. The auxiliary armature 44 is normally held against the armature 4| by suitable readily yielding means such as the springs 41 and 48 mounted on the guides 45 and 46 and bearing against the top of the armature 4|.

Auxiliary armature 44 is provided with a projection 49 adapted to engage the spring strip l5 and move contact I 4 out of engagement with contact I! when the auxiliary armature 44 is in engagement with pole pieces 36, 33 and 33.

It will be understood that the releasing spring 3 for the main armature 4| is surliciently still so .that the current which traverses the control circuit when resistance 2'! is inserted therein by the opening of contacts l3, l4 and I8, is is not sui'iicient to retain .thearmature 4| in its normal or closed position. However, the springs 41 and 48 are made so light that the auxiliary armature 44 is retainedin engagement with the pole pieces by suchreduced now current so that the contact M will be maintained out of engagement with the contact l3 until the control circuit is completely deenergized by the opening of the ignition switch 3.

The magnetic control for the current controlled contacts l3, I3 is illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. It will be understood that when the starting switch 4 is closed, the contact members 34 and 35 and the bridging contact 3| form a loop as indicated by the dotted line in Fig. 4, the magnetic properties of which when traversed by the heavy cranking current are sui'iicient to accomplish the desired control function by means of a suitably designed magnetic circuit. As here illustrated this magnetic circuit comprises an L-shaped member ll (Fig. 2) of suitable magnetic material which engages at one end with a plate 32 or magnetic material forming the base for the field member 31. A bracket 53 (Figs. 1 and 3) of magnetic material is suitably fixed to the plate 52 at the opposite side thereof, and carries the armature 2| and the spring member 23. The opposite end of the magnetic member is provided with an extension which is bent up into close proximity to the armature 2| to form the pole piece 24 whereby when the magnetic circuit including the L-shaped member 5|, 5

plate 52, and bracket 53 is' sufllciently energized, the armature 2| will be attracted by pole piece 24 to close contacts I8, i9.

Suitable adjusting means indicated at 55 are provided for the spring 23 and it will be understood that the tension of the spring 23 is ad justed so that contacts i3, i9 will be held closed during the cranking operation, but will be released in consequence of the decrease of the starting current due to the release of the cranking load when the engine starts. A suitable back stop 56 is preferably provided to define the idle position of armature 2|.

In operation, starting with the parts in the position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4, closure 0! the ignition switch 8 completes the control circuit through the electromagnet ii and contacts i3, H to the ground at i3 whereby the electromagnet is energized and attracts armatures 4| and 44, closing the starting switch and initiating the cranking operation. The rush of current through the starting circuit causes the contacts ill, I! to be closed, thereby maintaining the control circuit grounded therethrough although the contacts l3,

I4 are opened by the final movement of the auxiliary armature 44 which takes place after the engagement of the contact 3| with contacts 34 and of the starting switch. Continuous cranking is thereby maintained until the engine starts, whereupon the decrease in the starting current 35 permits the spring 23 to open contacts i8, i3. Since contacts l3, l4 have already been opened by the auxiliary armature 44, the resistance 21 is now placed in the control circuit, which reduces the current flow therethrough sufliciently to cause the main armature 4| to be released, thus opening the starting circuit. The magnetism remaining in the electromagnet by reason oi the reduced current flow therethrough is sunicient however to maintain the auxiliary armature 44 in its depressed condition whereby contacts l3, H are held open and reclosure oi the starting switch thereby prevented. In order to obtain a restart, therefore, it is necessary for the operator to open the ignition switch and reclose the same whereupon the operation as above set forth is repeated.

Although one embodiment oi the invention has been shown and described in detail, it will be understood that various changes may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts thereof, and other embodiments are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. In a starter control for internal combustion engines, a starting circuit including a starting switch, a control circuit including an electromagnet i'or closing said starting switch and circuit controlling means, means whereby closure of the starting switch opens the circuit controlling means, and means energized by said electromagnet for holding said circuit controlling means open irrespective of the opening of the starting switch.

2. In a starter control for internal combustion engines, a starting circuit including a starting switch, a control circuit including an electromagnet ior closing said starting switch and a circuit controlling means, said electromagnet having an 7 armature to operate the starting switch and another armature to operate the circuit controlling means, and means to variably energize the electromagnet to selectively control said armatures.

3. In a starter control for internal combustion engines, a starting circuit including a starting switch, a control circuit including an electromagnet for closing said starting switch and a circuit controlling means, said electromagnet having an armature to operate the starting switch and another armature to operate the circuit controlling means, means under the control of the operator for closing the control circuit whereby the electromagnet is energized to actuate its armatures to close the starting switch and open the circuit controlling means, and means for reducing the energization of the electromagnet to release the starting switch armature while retaining the circuit controlling armature.

4. In a starter control for internal combustion engines, a starting circuit including a. starting switch, a control circuit including an electromagnet for closing said starting switch and a circuit controlling means, said electromagnet having an armature to operate the starting switch and an other armature to operate the circuit controlling means, means under the control of the operator for closing the control circuit whereby the electromagnet is energized to actuate its armatures to close the starting switch and open the circuit controlling means, means responsive to cranking load to hold the control circuit closed, said means being responsive to release of the cranking load when the engine starts to reduce the energization of the electromagnet to release the starting switch armature while retaining the circuit controlling armature.

5. In a starter control for internal combustion engines a starting circuit including a magnetic starting switch, a control circuit therefor including circuit controlling means, means including an electromagnet for selectively operating the starting switch and said circuit controlling means, means for weakening said electromagnet to cause the starting switch to open when the engine starts, and means for deenergizing said electromagnet to operate the circuit controlling means.

6. In a semi-automatic starter control for internal combustion engines a starting circuit including a magnetic starting switch, a control circuit therefor including circuit controlling means, means including an electromagnet in said control circuit for selectively operating the starting switch and said circuit controlling means, means for weakening said electromagnet to cause the starting switch to open when the engine starts, and means under the control of the operator for deenergizing said electromagnet to operate the circuit controlling means.

7. In a semi-automatic starter control a starting circuit including a magnetic starting switch, a control circuit therefor including a set of normally open contacts and a set of normally closed contacts in parallel, means responsive to energization of the magnetic starting switch for closing the normally open contacts and opening the normally closed contacts, means responsive to self-operation of the engine for opening the normally open contacts, and means under the control of the operator for maintaining the magnetic starting switch sufiiciently energized to hold open the normally closed contacts.

PAUL H. MAURER. 

